Figure toy



June 19, 1923. 7 1,459,118

E. S. SHOWERS FIGURE TOY Filed Feb. 20. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 19,1923. l 1,459,118

E. S. SHOWERS 4 FIGURE TOY Filed Feb. 20. 1922 2 Shegats-Shee t 2Patented June 19, 1923.

UNITED ares ERNEST SINCLAIR SHOWERS, OF MICHIGAMME, MICHIGAN.

FIGURE TOY.

Application filed February 20, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST S. SHOWERS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Michigamme, in the county of Marquette and State ofMichigan, have invented cer-v ta-in new and useful Improvements inFigure Toys, of which the following is a. specification, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings. a

This invention relates to certain improvements in figure toys and it isan object of the invention to provide a novel and improved device ofthis general character embodying a body or member supported for swingingmovement and adapted to be occupied by a child, together with meanswhereby rocking or swinging movement of said body or member serves topropel the device in its entirety.

- Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improveddevice of this general character in simulation of a horse or otheranimal and which has associated there with a ground engaging wheel,together with means operated by an occupant of the device for propellingthe same.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a device of thisgeneral character having novel and improved means whereby the directionof travel of the device may be readily and conveniently controlled bythe child seated upon the device.

The invention consists in the details of construction and inthecombination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved figuretoy whereby certain important advantages are attained and the devicerendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenientandadvantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth. P i

The novel features "of my invention will hereinafter be definitelyclaimed.

In orderth'at'my invention may be the better understood, I will nowproceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation illustratinga figure toyconstructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a view in top plan of the device as illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view in rear elevation of the structure as hereindisclosed;

" Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in elevation andpartlyin section Serial No. 537,962,

illustrating the retractile member to facili-' tate the operation of thetoy;

Figure 5 is a view in perspective of one of the head members detached;and

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional viewtaken substantially on the line6-6 of Figure 5.

As herein disclosed, F denotes a frame comprising two spaced beams 1arranged in parallelism and having their extremities connectedby thecross members 2. Rotatably supported by the rear portions of the beams 1and bridging the space therebetween is a shaft 3 to which is fixed aground engaging wheel W, said wheel being positioned substantiallymidway between the beams 1. The shaft 3 extends outwardly of the beams 1and secured to the extended portions of said shafts are the cranks 4 and5 in quarter relation.

Secured to the forward end portions of the beams 1 is a transverselydisposed member or bolster 6, said member or bolster extending apredetermined distance outwardly of the beams 1. Pivotally engaged withthe extremities of the member or bolster 6 are the spindle arms 7. Thesearms 7 are of a length to extend forwardly and rearwardly of the memberor bolster 6 and the rear end portions of said arms 7 are operativelyconnected with the rod 8 whereby the spindle arms 7 are maintained insubstantially parallel relation and have unitary swinging or rockingmovement. The forward end portions of the arms 7 are provided with theoutstanding spindles 9 upon each of which is mounted a ground engagingwheel 10. The central portion of the connecting rod 8 is provided with aslot 11 disposed in a direction longitudinally of the frame F, thepurpose'of which will be hereinafter more par-' ticularlyreferred to.Upon endwise move. ment of the connecting rod 8, the direction of travelof the device may be readily controlled. Extending upwardly from thebeams 1 at a predetermined distance in advance of the wheel W are thestandards 12, the upper end portions of which engage the extremities ofand support a transversely disposed rod 14. Loosely engaged with the rod14 adjacent the standards 12 are the rigid-links 15, the opposite orupper extremities of said links being loosely engaged with a rod 16. Therod'16'is supported by the transversely links are the crossed linksextending inwardly and downwardly and having their opposite end portionsloosely engaged with a rod 23. The rod 23 also has loosely engagedtherewith the upper end portions of the links 2 1 which extend forwardlyand downwardly and are operatively engaged with the extended extremitiesof a rod 25 extending transversely of the frame F and supported by thebeams 1 thereof, said rod 25 being positioned below and substantially invertical alinement with the rod 14.

Loosely engaged with an extended end portion of the rod 23 is the upperend portion of a pitman 26, the lower end portion of said pitman beingoperatively engaged with the crank l. Connecting the rod 1-1 and theextended end portion of the rod 23 with which the pitman 26 is engagedis a retractile member or coiled spring 27 which operates to facilitatethe propulsion of the device and to compensate to a certain extent forthe weight of the child occupying the seat structure 18.

Operatively engaged with the crank 5 is an end portion of a pitman 28,said pitman extending upwardly and having its opposite end portionoperatively engaged with a rod 29 supported by and bridging the spacebetween a pair of depending bearings or blocks 30 arranged atthe rearportion of the seat structure 18.

As the body of the child or other occupant of the seat structure 18 isswayed backward and forward, the seat structure 18, together with theside members 19, are caused to rock and in a manner whereby such motionis transmitted through the pitmen 26 and 28 to the axle or shaft 3resulting in the desired rotation of the wheel W whereby the device inits entirety is caused to be'pro pelled. By having the cranks 41 and 5in. quarter relation, the running action of a horse or other animal isclosely simulated *"T and the possibility of the wheel getting on a deadcenter is substantially eliminated.

I Each of the side members 19 at its upper forward end isprovided withan outwardly disposed extension 31 having its margin substantiallyconcentric to an opening 32. The rear portion of the extension 31. atits opposite sides is defined by thev arcuate shoulders.

33 also substantially concentric to the opening 32. Each of theextensions 31 snugly engages within a kerf 34; produced in the inarcuatemargin, of the extension 31.

in a direction to ner end of a member 35, said member 35 being in smulation of the head ota' horse or other animal.

The rear portion of the head member 35 is arcuate in form forsubstantially close contact with the shoulders 33 while the inner closedwall 36 of the kerf 34 is arcuate in form for substantially closecontact with Tthe he rear portion of: the head member 35 is providedwith an opening 37 adapted to regis ter with the opening 32 of theextension 31 and disposed through said registering openings 32 and 37 isa pin 38 whereby the head member 35 is supported by a side member 19 forswinging movement in a vertical direction.

The head member 35 is adapted to be normally disposed in substantially ahorizon tal position and in order to facilitate the maintenance of suchposition as the side members 19 oscillate in a vertical direction, therear portion of each of the head members 35 is provided with a suitablypositioned balancing weight 39.

The forward cross member 2 is provided with an opening 10 through whichis disposed the rear end portion of a horizontally directed rod 11, saidopening 40 permitting the rod tlto be laterally swung in substantially ahorizontal direction. The inner or rear end portion of the rod 11 isprovided with a depending extension or arm 12 which engages within theslot 11 in the connecting rod 8 so that, upon lateral swinging movementof the rod 41, the rod 8 will be moved effect the desired steeringmovement of the wheels 10 sothat the direction of travel of determined.

Pivotally engaged, as. at 43, with the forward end portion of the rod 41is an upstanding arm 44 of a length to have its up? per extremityterminate between the forward end portions of the head members35.Secured to the upper extremity of the arm the device may be readily 4Aare the flexible member 45 which serve as steering lines or reins Eachof these members 45 is disposed in opposite directions from theupstanding arm 44 and said members 45 are disposed through the inwardlydirected guide eye members 46 carried by the forwardportions of the headmembers 35. The flexible member 45 are of a length to extend rearward-1yto. be conveniently grasped by the occupant of the seat structure 18. Bypulling upon either of the members or reins 45, thedirection of travelof the device may be readily controlled and in the same manner employedin driving a horse or other animal.-

C'oniiecting'the forward portions. of the side members 19 and in advanceof and be- I ing the side members 19 in proper relation, also provides afoot rest which facilitates the child occupying the seat structure 18effecting the desired rocking or oscillatory movement of the body asafforded by the side members 19 and the interposed seat structure 18.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a figuretoy constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly welladapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which itmay be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that myinvention is susceptible of some change and modification withoutdeparting from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason Ido not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precisearrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carryingout my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed,

I laim:

1. In combination, a frame, a supporting wheel therefor, a body, a linkconnecting the body and the frame to permit the body to have movementrelative to the frame, a driving connection between the body and thewheel, a link pivotally connected with the body, another link pivotallyconnected with the frame, means for pivotally connecting the last namedlinks, and a driving connection between the last named links and thewheel.

2. In combination, a frame, a supporting wheel therefor, a body, a linkconnecting the body and the frame to permit the body to have movementrelative to the frame, a driving connection between the body and thewheel, a link pivotally connected with the body, another link pivotallyconnected with the frame, means for pivotally connecting the last namedlinks, a driving connection between the last named links and the wheel,and automatic means for imparting movement to the last named links inone direction.

3. In combination, a frame, a supporting wheel therefor, a body, a linkconnecting the body and the frame to permit the body to have movementrelative to the frame, a driving connection between the body and thewheel, a link pivotally connected with the body, another link pivotallyconnected with,

the frame, means for pivotally connecting the last named links, adriving connection between the last named links and the wheel, and aspring associated with the last named links for constantly urging thesame in one direction.

4;. In combination, a frame, a supporting wheel therefor, a body, a linkconnecting the body and the frame to permit the body to have movementrelative to the frame, a driving connection between the body and thewheel, a link pivotally connected with the body, another link pivotallyconnected with the frame, means for pivotally connecting the last namedlinks, a driving connection between the last named links and the Wheel,and a retractile member operatively engaged with the frame and with thelast named links for constantly urging said last named links in onedirection.

5. In combination, a frame, a shaft carried thereby, a body, asupporting wheel fixed to the shaft, angularly related cranks carried bythe shaft, means interposed between the frame and body and operativelyengaged therewith to permit the frame and body to have movement one.relative to the other, a driving connection between said means and oneof the cranks of the shaft, and a second driving connection between thebody and the second crank of the shaft.

6. A device of the class described, comprising in combination, a bodysupported for rocking movement, a head member, means for pivotallyconnecting the head member to the body, and means carried entirely bythe head member for automatically tending to maintain the head, memberalways in the same balanced position irrespective of the position of thebody during its rocking movement.

7, A device of the class described, comprising in combination, a bodysupported for rocking movement, a head member, and

weighted means carried entirely by the head member tending to maintainthe head member always in the same balanced posit-ion irrespective ofthe position of the body durin its swinging movement.

n testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

ERNEST SINCLAIR SHOWERS.

